Why Monday Is The Best Day To Make Healthy-Eating Changes

Because it's the start of the workweek, Monday has long had a crummy reputation—no one at work ever groans that they have a case of the Fridays or writes songs about how they don't like Saturdays, right? Thing is, Monday has one secret upside: It's the day of the week people feel more motivated to try to reach a health-related goal, especially when it comes to eating better. One study found that 57 percent of us view Monday as an opportunity for a fresh start. And other research suggests that it's easier to track progress when you begin at the start of the week.

That's the thinking behind the Monday Campaigns—a collaboration between public health officials that encourages people to make Monday the day they launch a trial run of a new health behavior. The program started about a decade ago with "meatless Monday," an effort to convince people to give up animal-based foods for 24 hours in favor of lower-fat vegetarian options. It was a major success, organizers say, and as a result, the campaign evolved to get people to try out other healthy behaviors, such as embracing more good-for-you food options.

"There's something powerful about dedicating the first day of every week to health," says Cherry Dumaual, a spokesperson for the campaign. Tweaking your habits just one day shows you how easy it can be to make a change permanent. "Research shows that most people start healthful behaviors on a Monday, and Google searches for health-related terms spike on Monday," says Dumaual. Find out more at mondaycampaigns.org…or just take advantage of the first day of the week and make it your time to really focus on eating healthier.

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